Chapter 44

44 The Princesses

Lyra’s lips stretched out to a smile.

“I think I like you. Pen.” She said and turned to the mirror. Penelope breathed out. If she wanted to be on her good side, she had to tell her exactly what she wanted to hear.

...

“Ouch!” Zelda shouted when the girls tightened the corset a little too much.

“Do you want to kill me? It’s tight already. Why are you still forcing it?!”

She screamed at her maids, and they all panicked. She was fat, so it was hard to make dresses that fitted and were still pretty. All the dresses she had come with were partially sown on her body to avoid mistakes, but it seemed she had added a bit more and was fatter than them.

The maids panicked. How were they going to tell her that her ball gown did not fit?

Zelda huffed in front of the mirror, and then she scolded;

“If it doesn’t fit, find another dress.”

.....

They sighed in relief and quickly brought in another dress, although it was less pretty than the first. Thankfully, it was her size.

“Where are my shoes?” She asked and her shoes were placed in front of her and a maid helped her put it on. Another maid was fanning her while another patted her neck as she was beginning to sweat.

“How do I look?” Zelda asked, stretching her lips into a smile.

“You’re perfect, Your Majesty.” One of them replied. She was beautiful, but with the other princesses, if the king was to select on beauty, she did not stand a chance.

“Alright, let’s go!” She exclaimed, holding the sides of her dress, she walked out of the room.

...

“Oh, my god...” color drained from a maid’s face when she noticed a diamond fall from the ball gown Princess Kitana was to wear. The other maids looked at her in fright, as if they knew what was to follow.

The girl fell to her knees and trembled violently.

“I’m sorry, your majesty. I did not mean to spoil the dress.” The girl pleaded, tears falling from her eyes. Princess Kitana, who was sitting on a couch with her eyes closed, opened them slowly and looked at the girl.

She was trembling as she knelt in front of Kitana and in her hand was the dress. Kitana’s eyes fell on the diamond stone on the floor, and she stood up. Walking to the girl, she landed a hot slap on her chin.

The rest of the maids gasped as they looked at each other.

“Silly girl. You, find me another dress, ” she said to another maid and then turned back to the maid, who was kneeling on the ground; “and you make sure you don’t leave this room until you’ve fixed that dress exactly how it was before.”

The other maid carefully brought out the dress from the box, carrying it like it was her life.

Kitana went back to her seat and sat down, and the two maids continued dressing her hair. The room was eerily quiet when Kitana frowned and opened her eyes. She looked around the room and her eyes fell on Rue.

“You, come here.” Rue was the girl Beatrice had asked to serve her. Although Kitana looked intimidating, she did not think that she would be that wicked.

When she called for her, her heart fell to the pit of her stomach.

“I heard there is a girl that looks like the dead queen. Is that true?”

She asked, and Rue nodded nervously,

“Yes, your majesty.” She said, her head bowed.

“Where is she?” Kitana asked and Rue shook her head, “I do not know, but she is in the Castle.”

She replied. Kitana stared at the girl for a few seconds, then closed her eyes again.

“Is the king close to her?” She asked again, and Rue shook her head.

“I do not know, but I hear she serves in the king’s chambers. Others say the king asks her to dine with him, but I am not sure.”

“Then why are you saying things you are not sure of?!” Kitana barked at the girl and she shuddered, shutting her eyes tightly.

She was sure any reply she gave the Princess would get her angry all the same.

Even if she was not sure who to be the queen, she knew right there and then, Princess Kitana would wreak havoc in the Castle if she became the Queen.

...

Princess Emma walked into the hall a little later than the rest. All eyes turned to her as she stepped in graciously, her hands holding the sides of her gown.

The princesses were all pretty, but coming in when everyone was seated made her the center of attention.

“Hmm, just look at her walking in after the King. How dare she?” Princess Daphne whispered, while still keeping an elegant expression on her face.

“What can I say? She thinks she’s already the Queen, and the rest of us are wasting our time.”

Princess Alicia replied, chuckling.

“Well, at least, I’m sure of one person who is wasting their time.” Daphne continued with a smirk and Alicia frowned;

“Who is that?”

Princess Daphne nudged her head towards Zelda, who was eating like she had not seen well-prepared food before, and both of them burst into laughter.

“Really, she shouldn’t have come here. Did she think this was a circus show? Or maybe she thought we were here for games?”

Daphne laughed; “How does she think the king would find her attractive when she does not even help herself? Look at how she eats like a swine!”

“Mind your words, Daphne, you are not better off.” Princess Jasmine, who was sitting beside them, chirped in.

Daphne looked at her and rolled her eyes. Jasmine was carrying herself like a queen, barely eating a thing and smiling graciously.

Daphne eyed her and turned back to Alicia;

“Well, some others here think they are better than the rest of us all, because their father is the King’s best friend.”